Anti SL govt. protest by Muslims in UK

Lankan Muslims opt out

The Sri Lankan Muslim community in the United Kingdom did not participate in a demonstration staged by a group of Muslims opposite the Sri Lankan High Commission in London last week.

The protesters warned of Jihad (holy war) if Buddhists and the Sri Lankan government continued "to oppress Muslims".

However, they said that if the Sri Lankan government wants peace, they will be happy to have a dialogue.

A demonstrator, Abu Yusuf, said although Sri Lanka is thousands of miles away, every problem a Muslim faces in any part of the world is another Muslim’s concern. He said that Muslims in Sri Lanka were attacked because their presence is conceived as a threat.

"We are a threat. We are a threat to all kind of tyrannies and oppressive regimes", he said.

Why are Buddhists attacking Muslims when Buddhism is a peace-loving religion?, he asked.

Demonstrator Abu Talha said that when Muslims face this kind of oppression and tyranny, they should resist by any means necessary. If they have to take to arms to defend themselves, they have to do so.

They don’t have to wait for UN resolutions or the international community to give them support. Muslims should rise up and defend themselves. In other words, Jihad is the way to protect Muslims under threat, he pointed out.

Another demonstrator said that when the British and American army attacked Iraq and Afghanistan, they came home in body bags. He said Muslims believe in Islam and Jihad.

They held placards with slogans that read "Muslim nation is one nation. Our war is one. Our peace is one", "Sri Lankan Govt. Enemy of Islam and Muslims. Tyrants must be removed", "Stop the Genocide against Muslims", "Jihad is the solution to liberate the oppressed Muslims", "Muslims rise against the oppression. Remove Sri Lankan government".